25th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest This Saturday

25th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest This Saturday
A sand sculpture from last year's competition.
A sand sculpture from last year’s competition. (Photo by Avi Salzman)

Interested in looking at art but don’t want to be stuck indoors? Head to the beach at Coney Island this Saturday, August 15, where some top-tier sand sculpters, as well as a few amateur enthusiasts and their families, will be digging, piling, molding, and carving the beach’s coarse granules into architectural marvels.

This year’s Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest will mark the event’s 25th anniversary. There will be cash prizes for winners in several different categories and thousands are expected to attend.

Tickets to participate are sold out, according to the contest’s website. But you can still make your way to the beach, at the board walk between West 10th and West 12th Streets, to check it out. The contest takes place from 11am – 5pm.

You can also donate. The contest is hosted by Astella Development Corporation and Brooklyn Community Services, and funds raised from the contest will go towards helping victims of Superstorm Sandy. To date, the two organizations have distributed more than $300,000 in food, furniture, household goods, clothing and help with repairs.

To learn more about the sand sculpting contest, click here.

Check out this video from last year’s competition: